ARISTAR INC
8-K, 1996-06-14
PERSONAL CREDIT INSTITUTIONS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            -------------------------


                                    FORM 8-K



                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



               Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) -
                                  June 12, 1996


                                  ARISTAR, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)





   DELAWARE                        1-3521                        95-4128205
(State or other                  (Commission                  (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of                  File Number)                Identification No.)
incorporation)





                8900 GRAND OAK CIRCLE, TAMPA, FLORIDA 33637-1050
                    (Address of principal executive offices)




              Registrant's telephone number, including area code -
                                 (813) 632-4500



<PAGE>



ITEM 7.           EXHIBITS.

         (c)      Exhibits

                  1(a) -     Terms  Agreement dated June 12, 1996 among Aristar,
                             Inc. and Lehman  Brothers  Inc.,  Chase  Securities
                             Inc.  and  Merrill  Lynch,  Pierce,  Fenner & Smith
                             Incorporated,   and  the   Aristar,   Inc.  -  Debt
                             Securities   -   Underwriting    Agreement    Basic
                             Provisions  dated  April 10, 1995  incorporated  by
                             reference therein.

                  4(a) -     Resolutions adopted by the Pricing Committee of the
                             Board of Directors of the Company  establishing the
                             terms of the Company's  7.25% Senior Notes due June
                             15, 2001.

                  4(b) -     Specimen  Global  7.25%  Senior  Note  due June 15,
                             2001.




                                       -2-

<PAGE>




                                    SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

                  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934,  the  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.



                                       ARISTAR, INC.



                                       By:  /s/James A. Bare
                                            ------------------------------
                                            Senior Vice President and
                                            Chief Financial Officer (Chief
                                            Accounting Officer)



Date:  June 14, 1996

                                       -3-

<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



EXHIBITS
- --------

1(a)     -        Terms  Agreement  dated June 12, 1996 among Aristar,  Inc. and
                  Lehman Brothers Inc., Chase Securities Inc. and Merrill Lynch,
                  Pierce,  Fenner & Smith Incorporated,  and the Aristar, Inc. -
                  Debt  Securities -  Underwriting  Agreement  Basic  Provisions
                  dated April 10, 1995 incorporated by reference therein.

4(a)     -        Resolutions  adopted by the Pricing  Committee of the Board of
                  Directors  of  the  Company  establishing  the  terms  of  the
                  Company's 7.25% Senior Notes due June 15, 2001.

4(b)     -        Specimen Global 7.25% Senior Note due June 15, 2001.



                                       -4-

<PAGE>

                                                     Exhibit 1(a)


                                 TERMS AGREEMENT

                                                     June 12, 1996

ARISTAR, INC.
9200 Oakdale Avenue
Chatsworth, California 91311

Dear Sirs:

                  We (the "Underwriters" and the  "Representatives")  understand
that Aristar,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation (the "Company"),  proposes to issue
and sell $100,000,000  aggregate  principal amount of its 7.25% Senior Notes due
June  15,  2001  (the  "Underwritten  Securities").  Subject  to the  terms  and
conditions  set  forth  herein  or   incorporated  by  reference   herein,   the
Underwriters hereby offer to purchase,  severally and not jointly, the principal
amount of  Underwritten  Securities set forth opposite  their  respective  names
below at 99.242% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued interest
thereon, if any, from June 17, 1996 to (but not including) the Delivery Date.

                                                         Principal
   Underwriter                                             Amount
   -----------                                           ----------

 Lehman Brothers Inc.....................................$33,400,000
 Chase Securities Inc.................................... 33,300,000
 Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated...... 33,300,000

         Total...........................................$100,000,000
                                                          -----------

           The Underwritten Securities shall have the following terms:

Date of maturity:                    June 15, 2001

Interest rate:                       7.25% per annum, payable semiannually

Initial public
  offering price:                    99.842%, plus accrued interest, if any,
                                     from June 17, 1996 to (but not
                                     including) the Delivery Date

Interest payment
  dates:                             June 15 and December 15, commencing
                                     December 15, 1996

Redemption
  provisions:                        The Underwritten Securities are not
                                     redeemable

Form:                                The Underwritten Securities are to be
                                     issued in the form of one or more global
                                     securities registered in the name of The



<PAGE>



                                     Depository   Trust  Company  or  its
                                     nominee (the "Depositary"); delivery
                                     of the  Underwritten  Securities  at
                                     closing  will  be made  through  the
                                     facilities of the Depositary

Specified funds for
  payment of purchase
  price:                             Wire transfer of immediately available
                                     funds

Specified address for
  notices:                           Lehman Brothers Inc.
                                     Three World Financial Center
                                     New York, New York 10285

Delivery Date:                       10:00 A.M., New York City time, on 
                                     June 17, 1996

Place of closing:                    Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts
                                     One Battery Park Plaza
                                     New York, New York 10004

                  The  Underwriters  hereby  confirm that they have furnished to
the Company in writing the following  information for inclusion in the Company's
Prospectus Supplement dated June 12, 1996 to the Company's Prospectus dated June
12, 1996 relating to the Underwritten Securities (the "Prospectus  Supplement"):
(i) the  last  paragraph  at the  bottom  of the  cover  page of the  Prospectus
Supplement  concerning the terms of the offering by the  Underwriters;  (ii) the
first   paragraph  on  page  S-2  of  the   Prospectus   Supplement   concerning
over-allotment and stabilization by the Underwriters; (iii) the second paragraph
below the table on page S-6 of the Prospectus  Supplement  concerning the public
offering  price,  concession and discount;  and (iv) the second  sentence of the
third  paragraph  below  the  table  on page  S-6 of the  Prospectus  Supplement
concerning market-making by the Underwriters.

                  All of the  provisions  contained  in  the  document  entitled
"Aristar,  Inc. -- Debt Securities -- Underwriting  Agreement Basic  Provisions"
and dated April 10, 1995, a copy of which you have  previously  furnished to us,
are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be
a part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been
set forth in full herein.  Terms defined in such  Underwriting  Agreement  Basic
Provisions are used herein as therein defined.


                                       -2-

<PAGE>


                  Please  accept  this offer no later  than 6:00 P.M.,  New York
City time,  on June 12,  1996 by signing a copy of this Terms  Agreement  in the
space set forth  below and  returning  the signed copy to us, or by sending us a
written acceptance in the following form:

                  "We hereby accept your offer, set forth in the Terms Agreement
         dated June 12, 1996,  to purchase the  Underwritten  Securities  on the
         terms set forth therein."


                                       Very truly yours,

                                       LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
                                       CHASE SECURITIES INC.
                                       MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER &
                                        SMITH INCORPORATED

                                       By:  LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
                                       


                                          By /s/Robert E. Kiernan, III
                                            --------------------------



Accepted:

ARISTAR, INC.


By /s/ James A. Bare
  ------------------



                                       -3-

<PAGE>

                                  ARISTAR, INC.

                                 DEBT SECURITIES

                     UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT BASIC PROVISIONS


                                                           April 10, 1995




                  The basic  provisions  set forth  herein  are  intended  to be
incorporated by reference in a terms agreement (a "Terms Agreement") of the type
referred  to in  Paragraph  2  hereof.  With  respect  to any  particular  Terms
Agreement, the Terms Agreement, together with the provisions hereof incorporated
therein by reference,  is herein referred to as this "Agreement".  Terms defined
in the Terms Agreement are used herein as therein defined.

                  The Company may issue and sell from time to time series of its
debt  securities  registered  under the  registration  statement  referred to in
Paragraph  1(a) hereof  (the  "Securities").  The  Securities  may have  varying
designations,  denominations,  interest  rates and  payment  dates,  maturities,
redemption provisions and selling prices, with all such terms for any particular
series of Securities  (together with any other terms relating to such series) to
be determined and set forth in the Terms Agreement relating to the series.

                  1.  The Company represents, warrants and agrees that:

                  (a) A registration  statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33- 58361)
with  respect to the  Securities  has been  prepared and filed by the Company in
conformity with the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Act"),  and the rules and  regulations  (the  "Rules and  Regulations")  of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")  thereunder and has become
effective.  The Indenture pursuant to which the Underwritten  Securities will be
issued (the  "Indenture")  has been qualified  under the Trust  Indenture Act of
1939, as amended (the "Trust  Indenture  Act"). As used in this  Agreement,  (i)
"Preliminary   Prospectus"  means  each  prospectus   (including  all  documents
incorporated therein by reference) included in such registration statement,  and
amendments or supplements  thereof,  before it became  effective  under the Act,
including any prospectus filed


<PAGE>



with the Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the Rules and Regulations;  (ii)
"Registration  Statement"  means  such  registration  statement  when it  became
effective  under  the Act,  and as from  time to time  amended  or  supplemented
thereafter  at the time of  effectiveness  of such  amendment  or filing of such
supplement with the Commission (including all documents  incorporated therein by
reference);  (iii)  "Basic  Prospectus"  means  the  prospectus  (including  all
documents  incorporated  therein  by  reference)  included  in the  Registration
Statement;  and (iv) "Prospectus" means the Basic Prospectus,  together with any
amendments or  supplements  (including  in each case all documents  incorporated
therein by  reference),  as filed with,  or  transmitted  by a means  reasonably
calculated to result in filing with, the Commission pursuant to paragraph (b) of
Rule 424 of the Rules and  Regulations.  The Commission has not issued any order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus.

                  (b) The  Registration  Statement did, as of the time it became
effective,  and will,  as of each filing of the  Company's  most  recent  annual
report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange  Act"),  and the Prospectus did, as of its issue
date, comply as to form in all material respects with the Act, the Exchange Act,
the Trust Indenture Act, and the rules and  regulations of the Commission  under
such Acts; the Indenture,  including any  amendments  and  supplements  thereto,
conforms,  and will conform,  in all material  respects with the requirements of
the  Trust  Indenture  Act and  the  rules  and  regulations  of the  Commission
thereunder;  the  Registration  Statement  did  not,  as of the  time it  became
effective,  and will not, as of each filing of the Company's  most recent annual
report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, contain an untrue
statement  of a material  fact or omit to state a material  fact  required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements  therein not misleading;  and
the  Prospectus  does not and will not as of the Delivery  Date (as  hereinafter
defined)  contain  an untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances  under which they were made, not  misleading;  provided,  however,
that the Company makes no representation or warranty as to information contained
in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in reliance upon
and in conformity with written information  furnished to the Company through the
Representatives  by or on behalf of any Underwriter  specifically  for inclusion
therein,  or to any statements in or omissions from the statement of eligibility
and qualification on Form T-l of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act.

                  (c)  Neither  the  Company  nor  any  of  its   majority-owned
subsidiaries  (as  defined  in  Rule  405  of the  Rules  and  Regulations,  and
hereinafter  called  "Subsidiaries") is in violation of its corporate charter or
by-laws or in default in

                                       -2-

<PAGE>



the observance or performance  of any  agreement,  indenture or instrument,  the
effect of which  violation  or default  would be material to the Company and its
Subsidiaries  taken as a whole; the execution,  delivery and performance of this
Agreement and the Indenture and compliance by the Company with the provisions of
the  Underwritten  Securities and the Indenture have been duly authorized by all
necessary corporate action and will not conflict with, result in the creation or
imposition  of any lien,  charge or  encumbrance  upon any of the  assets of the
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  pursuant to the terms of, or  constitute  a
default in the  observance  or  performance  of,  any  agreement,  indenture  or
instrument,  or result in a violation of the corporate charter or by-laws of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any order,  statute, rule or regulation of
any court or governmental  agency having  jurisdiction over the Company,  any of
its Subsidiaries or their respective  properties,  the effect of which conflict,
lien, charge, encumbrance, default or violation would be material to the Company
and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole;  and except as required by the Act, the
Trust Indenture Act, the Exchange Act and applicable  state  securities laws, no
consent, authorization or order of, or filing or registration with, any court or
governmental  agency is required for the execution,  delivery and performance of
this Agreement or the Indenture.

                  (d) From the  dates  as of which  information  is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus,  and except as described therein, (i)
there has not been any material  adverse  change in the  financial  condition or
results of operations of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole and
(ii) there has been no dividend or  distribution  of any kind declared,  paid or
made by the Company on any class of its  capital  stock.  There is no  financial
support agreement  between the Company and Great Western  Financial  Corporation
("Great Western") or any affiliate thereof respecting the business  relationship
between the two parties.

                  (e) To the best  knowledge of the Company,  Price  Waterhouse,
whose report appears in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus,  are independent  public accountants as required by
the Act and the Rules and Regulations.

                  (f) (i) As of the Delivery  Date, the Indenture will have been
duly  executed  and  delivered  and validly  authorized  by the Company and will
constitute  the  legally  binding  obligation  of  the  Company  enforceable  in
accordance  with its terms  (except  as  enforcement  thereof  may be limited by
bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent conveyance,  reorganization,  moratorium or
other laws  relating to or affecting  creditors'  rights  generally,  by general
equity  principles  or by an implied  covenant of good faith and fair  dealing),
(ii) the Underwritten Securities have been validly

                                       -3-

<PAGE>



authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, upon execution,
authentication,  delivery and payment therefor as provided in this Agreement and
the  Indenture,  will be validly  issued and  outstanding,  and will  constitute
legally binding  obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their
terms (except as  enforcement of the  Underwritten  Securities may be limited by
bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent conveyance,  reorganization,  moratorium or
other laws  relating to or affecting  creditors'  rights  generally,  by general
equity  principles or by an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing) and
entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, and (iii) the Underwritten Securities
and the Indenture conform in all material  respects to the descriptions  thereof
contained in the Prospectus.

                  (g)  The  Company  has  been  duly  incorporated,  is  validly
existing  and  is in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of its  jurisdiction  of
incorporation;  each of the Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated,  is validly
existing  and  is  in  good  standing   under  the  laws  of  their   respective
jurisdictions of  incorporation  (except where the failure to be so incorporated
or to be in good  standing  would  not have a  material  adverse  effect  on the
Company and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole);  to the best  knowledge of the
Company,  the  Company and each of its  Subsidiaries  are duly  qualified  to do
business and in good standing as foreign  corporations  in each  jurisdiction in
which their respective  ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of their
respective businesses requires such qualification,  and have the corporate power
and authority  necessary to own, lease and operate their  respective  properties
and to conduct  the  businesses  in which  they are  engaged,  except  where the
failure  to so  qualify  or to have such  power and  authority  would not have a
material  adverse effect on the Company and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole;
and the capital stock of each  Subsidiary  is owned by the Company,  directly or
through  Subsidiaries,  free and clear of any mortgage,  pledge,  lien, claim or
encumbrance.

                  (h)  Except  as  described  in  the  Prospectus,  there  is no
material  litigation or governmental  proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of
the Company,  threatened  against the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  which
would  result in any  material  adverse  change in the  financial  condition  or
results of  operations of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole or
which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement.

                  (i) The financial statements filed as part of the Registration
Statement  or included or  incorporated  in any  Preliminary  Prospectus  or the
Prospectus  present,  and will  present  as of the  Delivery  Date,  fairly  the
financial  condition and results of  operations of the entities  purported to be
shown  thereby,  at the  dates  and for the  periods  indicated,  and have  been
prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting  principles applied on
a consistent basis throughout the periods

                                       -4-

<PAGE>



involved;   and  the  supporting  schedules  included  or  incorporated  in  the
Registration  Statement  present  fairly the  information  required to be stated
therein.

                  (j)  The  documents   incorporated   by  reference   into  any
Preliminary   Prospectus  or  the  Prospectus   have  been,  and  any  documents
subsequently  incorporated  by reference  will be, as of the  applicable  filing
date, prepared by the Company in conformity with the applicable  requirements of
the Act and the Rules and  Regulations  and the  Exchange  Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission  thereunder;  and such documents have been or will
be as of the Delivery Date timely filed as required thereby.

                  (k)  There  are no  contracts  or other  documents  which  are
required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration  Statement by the Act or by
the Rules and Regulations, or which were required to be filed as exhibits to any
document  incorporated by reference in the Prospectus by the Exchange Act or the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, which have not been filed as
exhibits to the  Registration  Statement or to such  documents,  or incorporated
therein by reference as permitted by the Rules and  Regulations or the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the Exchange Act, as the case may be.

                  (l) All of the  authorized,  issued  and  outstanding  capital
stock of the Company has been duly  authorized  and validly  issued and is fully
paid and non-assessable and is owned, directly or indirectly, by Great Western.

                  (m)  The  Company  and  each  of  its  Subsidiaries  have  all
licenses, approvals and consents for the conduct of their respective businesses,
the  failure  of which to have  would  have a  material  adverse  effect  on the
business of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole.


                  2. The  obligation of the  Underwriters  to purchase,  and the
Company to sell, the  Underwritten  Securities is evidenced by a Terms Agreement
delivered  at  the  time  the  Company   determines  to  sell  the  Underwritten
Securities.  The  Terms  Agreement  specifies  the firm or firms  which  will be
Underwriters,  the  principal  amount  of  the  Underwritten  Securities  to  be
purchased by each Underwriter, the purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters
for the  Underwritten  Securities,  the public  offering  price,  if any, of the
Underwritten   Securities,   certain   terms   thereof  and  the   Underwriters'
compensation  therefor,  any of the  terms of the  Underwritten  Securities  not
already specified in the Indenture (including, but not limited to, designations,
denominations,  interest rate or rates (and method of  calculation  thereof) and
payment dates,  maturity,  redemption  provisions and sinking fund requirements)
and the written information that has been furnished

                                       -5-

<PAGE>



to the Company  through the  Representatives  by or on behalf of any Underwriter
specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.  The
Terms  Agreement  also  specifies any details of the terms of the offering which
should be reflected in a post-effective  amendment to the Registration Statement
or the supplement to the Prospectus relating to the offering of the Underwritten
Securities.

                  3.  The  Company   shall  not  be  obligated  to  deliver  any
Underwritten  Securities except upon payment for all the Underwritten Securities
to be purchased pursuant to this Agreement as hereinafter provided.

                  4.  If any  Underwriter  defaults  in the  performance  of its
obligations  under this  Agreement,  the remaining  non-defaulting  Underwriters
shall be obligated to purchase the Underwritten  Securities which the defaulting
Underwriter  agreed but failed to purchase in the respective  proportions  which
the principal amount of Underwritten Securities set forth in the Terms Agreement
to be purchased by each remaining  non-defaulting  Underwriter set forth therein
bears to the aggregate  principal  amount of  Underwritten  Securities set forth
therein  to be  purchased  by all  the  remaining  non-defaulting  Underwriters;
provided,  however, that the remaining non-defaulting  Underwriters shall not be
obligated to purchase any  Underwritten  Securities if the  aggregate  principal
amount  of  Underwritten   Securities   which  the  defaulting   Underwriter  or
Underwriters  agreed but failed to purchase exceeds 9.09% of the total principal
amount of Underwritten Securities,  and any remaining non-defaulting Underwriter
shall not be obligated  to purchase  more than 110% of the  principal  amount of
Underwritten  Securities set forth in the Terms Agreement to be purchased by it.
If  the   foregoing   maximums  are  exceeded,   the  remaining   non-defaulting
Underwriters,  or those other underwriters  satisfactory to the  Representatives
who so agree, shall have the right, but shall not be obligated,  to purchase, in
such  proportion  as may  be  agreed  upon  among  them,  all  the  Underwritten
Securities.  If the remaining Underwriters or other underwriters satisfactory to
the  Representatives do not elect to purchase the Underwritten  Securities which
the defaulting  Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase,  this
Agreement shall terminate  without  liability on the part of any  non-defaulting
Underwriter  or the Company,  except that the Company will continue to be liable
for the payment of expenses as set forth in Paragraphs 6(k) and 10 hereof.

                  Nothing contained in this Paragraph shall relieve a defaulting
Underwriter  of any  liability it may have to the Company for damages  caused by
its  default.  If other  underwriters  are  obligated  or agree to purchase  the
Underwritten Securities of a defaulting or withdrawing  Underwriter,  either the
Representatives  or the Company may postpone  the Delivery  Date for up to seven
full business days in order to effect any changes

                                       -6-

<PAGE>



that in the opinion of counsel  for the Company or counsel for the  Underwriters
may be necessary in the Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus or in any other
document or arrangement.

                  5.  Delivery of and payment  for the  Underwritten  Securities
shall be made at the office of the  Representatives  at such address and time as
may be  specified  in the  Terms  Agreement.  This  date and time are  sometimes
referred to as the  "Delivery  Date".  On the  Delivery  Date the Company  shall
deliver the Underwritten  Securities to the  Representatives  for the account of
each  Underwriter  against  payment  to or upon the order of the  Company of the
purchase  price by (i) certified or official bank check or checks payable in New
York Clearing House funds or (ii) wire transfer of immediately  available funds,
as shall be specified in the Terms Agreement.  Time shall be of the essence, and
delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further
condition of the obligation of each Underwriter  hereunder.  Upon delivery,  the
Underwritten Securities shall be in definitive fully registered form and in such
denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives  shall request
in writing not less than two full business days prior to the Delivery  Date. For
the  purpose of  expediting  the  checking  and  packaging  of the  Underwritten
Securities,  the Company shall make the  Underwritten  Securities  available for
inspection by the  Representatives in New York, New York (or such other place as
may be specified by the Representatives) not later than 2:00 P.M., New York City
time, at least one business day prior to the Delivery Date.

                  6.  The Company covenants and agrees with the  Representatives
as follows:

                  (a) To furnish  promptly to the  Representatives  and to their
counsel a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each
amendment  thereto,  and a copy of each  Prospectus  filed with the  Commission,
including  all  supplements  thereto and all documents  incorporated  therein by
reference and all consents and exhibits filed therewith;

                  (b) To deliver promptly to the Representatives  such number of
the following documents as they may reasonably request:  (i) conformed copies of
the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits other than the computation of the
ratio of earnings to fixed charges, the Indenture and this Agreement), (ii) each
Preliminary  Prospectus,  the  Basic  Prospectus  and  the  Prospectus  and  any
supplement  thereto and (iii) any  documents  incorporated  by  reference in the
Prospectus;

                  (c) If, during any period in which,  in the opinion of counsel
for the Representatives, a prospectus relating to the Underwritten Securities is
required to be  delivered  under the Act,  any event occurs as a result of which
the Prospectus would

                                       -7-

<PAGE>



include an untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to
amend  the  Prospectus  to  comply  with  the Act,  to  immediately  notify  the
Representatives and to promptly prepare and file (subject to (e) below) with the
Commission  an  amendment  or  supplement  which  will  effect  such  compliance
(provided, however, that if such amendment or supplement of the Prospectus shall
be  filed  after  the  nine-month  period  commencing  on the date  hereof,  the
Representatives  shall pay the costs incurred in connection with the preparation
of such amendment or supplement);

                  (d) To timely file (subject to (e) below) with the  Commission
during any period in which,  in the opinion of counsel for the  Representatives,
any  Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in  connection  with sales of
the  Underwritten  Securities,  all documents  (and any amendments to previously
filed documents)  required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;

                  (e) Prior to filing with the  Commission  any (i) amendment or
supplement to the  Registration  Statement,  (ii) Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement  thereto or (iii)  document  incorporated  by reference in any of the
foregoing or any amendment of or supplement to any such  incorporated  document,
to  furnish a copy  thereof  to the  Representatives  and their  counsel  and to
provide the Representatives an opportunity to comment thereon;

                  (f) To advise  the  Representatives  immediately  (i) when any
post-effective  amendment to the Registration  Statement relating to or covering
the Underwritten  Securities becomes effective,  (ii) of any request or proposed
request by the  Commission  for an amendment or supplement  to the  Registration
Statement,  to the Prospectus,  to any document incorporated by reference in any
of the foregoing or for any additional information, (iii) of the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of the Registration
Statement or any order directed to the  Prospectus or any document  incorporated
therein by reference or the initiation or threat of any stop order proceeding or
of any  challenge to the accuracy or adequacy of any  document  incorporated  by
reference in the Prospectus,  (iv) of receipt by the Company of any notification
with  respect  to the  suspension  of  the  qualification  of  the  Underwritten
Securities  for sale in any  jurisdiction  or the  initiation  or  threat of any
proceeding  for that  purpose and (v) of the  happening of any event which makes
untrue any  statement of a material fact made in the  Registration  Statement or
the  Prospectus  or which  requires  the making of a change in the  Registration
Statement or the  Prospectus  in order to make any  statement of a material fact
therein not misleading;

                                       -8-

<PAGE>




                  (g) If the Commission  shall issue a stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration  Statement, to make every reasonable effort to
obtain the lifting of that order at the earliest possible time;

                  (h) To make generally available to its security holders and to
deliver to the Representatives, in each case as soon as practicable, an earnings
statement (in form complying with the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and
Rule 158  thereunder  and which need not be certified by  independent  certified
public  accountants  unless  required  by the Act or the Rules and  Regulations)
covering the period beginning not later than the first day of the fiscal quarter
next  following each date which (i) under Section 11(a) of the Act and the Rules
and  Regulations  is an  "effective  date"  (as  defined  in  Rule  158)  of the
Registration Statement for purposes of said Section 11(a), and (ii) is not later
than the Delivery Date;

                  (i) For one year after the  Delivery  Date,  to furnish to the
Representatives, promptly after the time the Company makes the same available to
others,  copies of all public  reports or releases and all reports and financial
statements  furnished  by the  Company to any  securities  exchange  pursuant to
requirements of or agreements  with such exchange or to the Commission  pursuant
to the Exchange Act or any rule or regulation of the Commission thereunder;

                  (j) To endeavor,  in cooperation with the Representatives,  to
qualify the  Underwritten  Securities for offering and sale under the applicable
securities laws of such states and other  jurisdictions  of the United States as
the   Representatives   may   reasonably   designate,   and  to  maintain   such
qualifications  in  effect  for as long as may be  reasonably  required  for the
distribution  of  the  Underwritten  Securities.  The  Company  will  file  such
statements  and reports as may be required by the laws of each  jurisdiction  in
which the Underwritten Securities have been qualified as above provided;

                  (k)  To pay  (i)  the  costs  incident  to the  authorization,
issuance, sale and delivery of the Underwritten Securities and any taxes payable
in that  connection,  (ii) the costs incident to the  preparation,  printing and
filing  under  the  Act  of  the  Registration  Statement  and  any  amendments,
supplements and exhibits  thereto,  (iii) the costs incident to the preparation,
printing  and filing of any  document and any  amendments  and exhibits  thereto
required to be filed by the Company  under the Exchange  Act,  (iv) the costs of
distributing the Registration Statement, as originally filed, and each amendment
and  post-effective  amendment  thereof  (including  exhibits),  any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus, any supplement or amendment to
the  Prospectus  and  any  documents  incorporated  by  reference  in any of the
foregoing documents, (v) the costs of

                                       -9-

<PAGE>



distributing  the terms of the  agreement  relating to the  organization  of the
underwriting  syndicate  to the  Underwriters  by mail,  telex or other means of
communication, (vi) the costs of typing this Agreement, (vii) the costs and fees
in connection  with the listing of the  Securities on any  securities  exchange,
(viii) the costs of any filings  with the  National  Association  of  Securities
Dealers,  Inc., (ix) the fees and  disbursements of counsel to the Company,  (x)
the  fees  paid  to  rating  agencies  in  connection  with  the  rating  of the
Securities, including the Underwritten Securities, (xi) the fees and expenses of
qualifying the  Securities,  including the  Underwritten  Securities,  under the
securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in this Paragraph,  and
of preparing and printing a Blue Sky Memorandum and a memorandum  concerning the
legality  of  the  Securities,  including  the  Underwritten  Securities,  as an
investment  (including  fees and expenses of counsel to the  Representatives  in
connection  therewith),  and (xii) all other costs and expenses  incident to the
performance of the Company's obligations under this Agreement;  provided,  that,
except  as  provided  in  this  Paragraph  and  in  Paragraph  10  hereof,   the
Underwriters  shall pay their own  costs and  expenses,  including  the fees and
expenses of their  counsel,  any transfer taxes on the  Underwritten  Securities
which  they  may  sell and the  expenses  of  advertising  any  offering  of the
Underwritten Securities made by the Underwriters; and

                  (l)  During  the  period  beginning  on the date of the  Terms
Agreement and continuing to the Delivery Date,  without the prior consent of the
Representatives,  not to offer or sell, or enter into any agreement to sell, any
debt  securities  of the  Company  other  than  borrowings  under the  Company's
revolving  credit  agreements  and lines of credit,  the  private  placement  of
securities, borrowings from Great Western or any affiliate thereof and issuances
in the ordinary course of business of the Company's commercial paper.

                  7. (a) The Company  shall  indemnify  and hold  harmless  each
Underwriter,   each  other  person,  if  any,  who  is  participating  with  the
Underwriters  in the  distribution  of  the  Underwritten  Securities  who is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Act with respect to the
distribution  of the  Underwritten  Securities  (the  "Participants")  and  each
person,  if any, who  controls any  Underwriter  or any  Participant  within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act from and  against  any loss,  claim,  damage or
liability,  joint or several,  and any action in respect thereof,  to which such
Underwriter or such Participant or controlling person may become subject,  under
the Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation,
at common law or otherwise,  insofar as such loss, claim,  damage,  liability or
action arises out of, or is based upon,  any untrue  statement or alleged untrue
statement  of a material  fact  contained  in any  Preliminary  Prospectus,  the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or arises out of, or is

                                      -10-

<PAGE>



based upon,  the omission or alleged  omission to state  therein a material fact
required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein not
misleading,  and shall  reimburse each  Underwriter,  each  Participant and each
controlling  person for any legal and other  expenses  reasonably  incurred,  as
incurred,  by such  Underwriter or such  Participant  or  controlling  person in
investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss,  claim,
damage, liability or action;  provided,  however, (i) that the Company shall not
be liable in any such case to the  extent  that any such  loss,  claim,  damage,
liability  or action  arises out of, or is based upon,  any untrue  statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in reliance upon and in
conformity  with  written  information  furnished  to the  Company  through  the
Representatives  by or on behalf of any Underwriter  specifically  for inclusion
therein; and (ii) that with respect to any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus,
the foregoing indemnification shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter,
any  Participant or any person  controlling  that  Underwriter or Participant on
account  of any  loss,  claim,  damage,  liability  or action  arising  from the
purchase of Securities by any person from that  Underwriter or  Participant,  if
that  Underwriter  or  Participant  in fact failed to send or give a copy of the
Prospectus  provided by the Company in accordance with Paragraph 6(b) hereof (as
such Prospectus may then be amended or  supplemented,  in each case exclusive of
the documents  incorporated therein by reference) to that person within the time
required by the Act; provided,  however,  that subparagraph (ii) above shall not
apply (X) where such loss, claim, damage,  liability or action arises out of, or
is based upon, any untrue  statement or alleged  untrue  statement of a material
fact  or  omission  or  alleged  omission  to  state  a  material  fact  in such
Preliminary  Prospectus or Prospectus and such untrue statement,  alleged untrue
statement, omission or alleged omission, was not corrected in the Prospectus (or
the  amendment or  supplement  thereto) or (Y) where the failure to deliver such
Prospectus (or the amendment or supplement  thereto) resulted from noncompliance
by the Company with Paragraph 6(b) hereof. The foregoing  indemnity agreement is
in  addition  to any  liability  which the  Company  may  otherwise  have to any
Underwriter, any Participant or controlling person.

                  (b)  Each  Underwriter,   severally  and  not  jointly,  shall
indemnify  and hold  harmless the Company,  each of its  directors,  each of its
officers who signed the  Registration  Statement and any person who controls the
Company  within the  meaning of Section 15 of the Act from and against any loss,
claim, damage or liability, joint or several, and any action in respect thereof,
to which the Company or any such  director,  officer or  controlling  person may
become  subject,  under the Act, the Exchange Act or federal or state  statutory
law or  regulation,  at common law or  otherwise,  insofar as such loss,  claim,
damage, liability or

                                      -11-

<PAGE>



action arises out of, or is based upon,  any untrue  statement or alleged untrue
statement  of a material  fact  contained  in any  Preliminary  Prospectus,  the
Registration  Statement or the  Prospectus,  or arises out of, or is based upon,
the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements  therein not misleading,  but
in each case only to the extent  that the  untrue  statement  or alleged  untrue
statement  or omission  or alleged  omission  was made in  reliance  upon and in
conformity  with  written  information  furnished  to the  Company  through  the
Representatives  by or on behalf of that Underwriter  specifically for inclusion
therein,  and shall  reimburse  the  Company  or any such  director,  officer or
controlling  person for any legal and other  expenses  reasonably  incurred,  as
incurred, by the Company or any such director,  officer or controlling person in
investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss,  claim,
damage, liability or action. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to
any liability  which any Underwriter may otherwise have to the Company or any of
its directors, officers or controlling persons.

                  (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified  party under this
Paragraph  of  notice  of any  claim  or the  commencement  of any  action,  the
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying  party  under  this  Paragraph,  notify the  indemnifying  party in
writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided, however, that
the  failure  to notify the  indemnifying  party  shall not  relieve it from any
liability  which it may have to an indemnified  party  otherwise than under this
Paragraph  except to the  extent  that it has been  prejudiced  in any  material
respect by such failure or from any liability  which it may have  otherwise.  If
any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified  party,  and it
shall notify the indemnifying  party thereof,  the  indemnifying  party shall be
entitled to participate therein, and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with
any other similarly notified  indemnifying  party, to assume the defense thereof
with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from
the  indemnifying  party to the indemnified  party of its election to assume the
defense of such claim or action,  the indemnifying  party shall not be liable to
the  indemnified  party under this  Paragraph 7 for any legal or other  expenses
subsequently  incurred by the  indemnified  party in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of  investigation;  provided,  however,  any
indemnified  party shall have the right to employ  separate  counsel in any such
claim or action  and to  participate  in the  defense  thereof  but the fees and
expenses  of such  counsel  shall be at the  expense of such  indemnified  party
unless  (i) the  employment  thereof  has been  specifically  authorized  by the
indemnifying  party in  writing,  (ii) such  indemnified  party  shall have been
advised by such counsel that there may be one or more legal  defenses  available
to it which are

                                      -12-

<PAGE>



different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party and in
the  reasonable  judgment of such counsel it is advisable  for such  indemnified
party to employ separate counsel or (iii) the  indemnifying  party has failed to
assume  the  defense  of such  claim or action  and  employ  counsel  reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified  party, in which case, if such indemnified party
notifies the  indemnifying  party in writing  that it elects to employ  separate
counsel at the expense of the indemnifying  party, the indemnifying  party shall
not have the right to assume  the  defense  of such claim or action on behalf of
such  indemnified  party, it being  understood,  however,  that the indemnifying
party shall not, in connection with any one such claim or action or separate but
substantially  similar  or related  claims or  actions in the same  jurisdiction
arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances,  be liable for the
reasonable  fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any
time for all such indemnified parties, which firm shall be designated in writing
by the Representatives,  if the indemnified parties under this Paragraph consist
of any  Underwriter,  any  Participant  or any of their  respective  controlling
persons,  or by the Company,  if the  indemnified  parties under this  Paragraph
consist of the Company or any of its directors, officers or controlling persons.
Each indemnified party, as a condition of the indemnity  agreements contained in
Paragraph 7(a) and 7(b) hereof, shall use its best efforts to cooperate with the
indemnifying  party in the defense of any such claim or action. The indemnifying
party  shall  not be  liable  for any  settlement  of any such  claim or  action
effected  without its written  consent (which consent shall not be  unreasonably
withheld),  but if  settled  with  its  written  consent  or if there be a final
judgment in favor of the plaintiff in any such claim or action, the indemnifying
party  agrees to indemnify  and hold  harmless  any  indemnified  party from and
against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.

                  (d) If the  indemnification  provided  for in  this  Paragraph
shall for any reason be unavailable to an indemnified party under Paragraph 7(a)
or 7(b) hereof in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action
in respect thereof,  referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in
lieu of indemnifying  such indemnified  party,  contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such  indemnified  party as a result of such loss,  claim,  damage or
liability,  or action in respect  thereof,  (i) in such  proportion  as shall be
appropriate to reflect the relative  benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and the Underwriters and the Participants on the other from the offering of
the Underwritten  Securities,  or (ii) if the allocation  provided by clause (i)
above is not permitted by applicable  law, in such  proportion as is appropriate
to reflect not only the  relative  benefits  referred to in clause (i) above but
also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the  Underwriters and
the Participants on the other with respect to

                                      -13-

<PAGE>



the  statements  or  omissions  which  resulted in such loss,  claim,  damage or
liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations.  The relative  benefits  received by the Company on the one hand
and the  Underwriters  and the  Participants  on the other with  respect to such
offering shall be deemed to be in the same  proportion as the total net proceeds
from the offering of the Underwritten  Securities  (before  deducting  expenses)
received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions
received by the Underwriters and the Participants  with respect to such offering
in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus.  The
relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged
untrue  statement of a material fact or omission or alleged  omission to state a
material   fact  relates  to   information   supplied  by  the  Company  or  the
Underwriters,  the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to
information  and  opportunity  to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the  Underwriters  agree that it would not be just and equitable
if  contributions  pursuant to this  Paragraph 7(d) were to be determined by pro
rata allocation or by any other method of allocation  (even if the  Underwriters
and the Participants were treated as one entity for such purpose) which does not
take into account the equitable  considerations  referred to herein.  The amount
paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss,  claim,  damage
or liability, or action in respect thereof,  referred to above in this Paragraph
7(d) shall be deemed to include,  for purposes of this Paragraph 7(d), any legal
or other expenses  reasonably  incurred by such indemnified  party in connection
with  investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding  the
provisions  of  this  Paragraph  7(d),  no  Underwriter  shall  be  required  to
contribute  any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which
the  Underwritten  Securities  underwritten  by it and distributed to the public
were  offered  to the  public  exceeds  the  amount of any  damages  which  such
Underwriter  has otherwise  paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning of Section  11(f) of the Act)
shall be  entitled  to  contribution  from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent  misrepresentation.  The  Underwriters'  obligations to contribute as
provided in this  Paragraph  7(d) are several in proportion to their  respective
underwriting obligations and not joint.

                  (e)  The  agreements  contained  in  this  Paragraph  and  the
representations, warranties and agreements of the Company contained elsewhere in
this  Agreement,  or  contained  in  certificates  of  officers  of the  Company
submitted  pursuant  hereto,  shall  survive the delivery of and payment for the
Underwritten Securities and shall remain operative and in full force and effect,
regardless of the termination of this Agreement

                                      -14-

<PAGE>



or any investigation made on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling
any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company.

                  8. The  obligations of the  Underwriters  under this Agreement
may be terminated  by the  Representatives,  in their  absolute  discretion,  by
notice given to and received by the Company prior to the delivery of and payment
for the Underwritten Securities,  if, during the period beginning on the date of
the  Terms  Agreement  to and  including  the  Delivery  Date,  (a)  trading  in
securities  generally  on the New York Stock  Exchange is  suspended  or minimum
prices are established on that Exchange, or (b) a banking moratorium is declared
by either Federal or New York State authorities,  or (c) the United States is or
becomes  engaged in  hostilities  which have  resulted in the  declaration  of a
national  emergency,  or (d) the rating of any of the Company's debt  securities
shall have been lowered by either Moody's Investors Services, Inc. or Standard &
Poor's  Corporation  or either  of such  rating  agencies  shall  have  publicly
announced  that it has placed any of the  Company's  debt  securities on what is
commonly termed a "watch list" for possible downgrading.

                  9. The respective  obligations of the Underwriters  under this
Agreement  with  respect  to the  Underwritten  Securities  are  subject  to the
accuracy in all material respects, on the date of the Terms Agreement and on the
Delivery Date, of the  representations  and warranties of the Company  contained
herein, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company's  officers made in any
certificate  furnished pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance and
observance  by the  Company  in all  material  respects  of  all  covenants  and
agreements  contained herein, and to each of the following  additional terms and
conditions applicable to the Underwritten Securities:

                  (a) At or before the Delivery  Date, no stop order  suspending
the  effectiveness of the  Registration  Statement shall have been issued and no
proceeding  for that  purpose  shall have been  initiated or  threatened  by the
Commission,  nor any order directed to any document incorporated by reference in
any Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission.

                  (b)  Stephen  F.  Adams,   General  Counsel  and  Senior  Vice
President  of the  Company,  shall have  furnished  to the  Representatives  his
opinion  addressed to the  Underwriters and dated the Delivery Date, in form and
substance  reasonably  satisfactory to the Representatives and their counsel, to
the effect that:

                           (i) The  Company  has been duly  incorporated  and is
         validly  existing as a corporation  in good standing  under the laws of
         the State of Delaware;

                                      -15-

<PAGE>




                          (ii) The Company has the corporate power and authority
         necessary  to own,  lease and  operate its  properties  and conduct its
         business as described in the Registration Statement;

                         (iii) To the best of his knowledge, the Company is duly
         qualified to do business and in good standing as a foreign  corporation
         in each  jurisdiction in which its conduct of business or its ownership
         or leasing of properties  requires such  qualification and in which the
         failure to be so qualified would have a material  adverse effect on the
         Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

                          (iv) All of the issued and  outstanding  capital stock
         of each  Subsidiary has been duly  authorized and validly issued and is
         fully  paid  and  non-assessable,  and,  except  as  described  in  the
         Registration  Statement,  all of such  capital  stock  is  owned by the
         Company,  directly  or  through  Subsidiaries,  free  and  clear of any
         mortgage, pledge, lien, claim or encumbrance;

                           (v) The authorized,  issued and  outstanding  capital
         stock of the Company is as set forth in the  Prospectus  and the shares
         of the Company's issued and outstanding  Common Stock set forth therein
         are owned, directly or indirectly, by Great Western;

                          (vi) Such  counsel  does  not  know  of  any  material
         litigation or any governmental proceeding pending or threatened against
         the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  which  (individually or in the
         aggregate)  is or would be required to be disclosed  in the  Prospectus
         which is not disclosed;

                         (vii) Such  counsel  does not know of any  contracts or
         other  documents  which are  required  to be filed as  exhibits  to the
         Registration  Statement by the Act or by the Rules and Regulations,  or
         which are  required  to be filed by the  Exchange  Act or the rules and
         regulations  of the  Commission  thereunder as exhibits to any document
         incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,  which have not been filed
         as exhibits  to the  Registration  Statement  or to such  document,  or
         incorporated  therein  by  reference  as  permitted  by the  Rules  and
         Regulations or the rules and  regulations  of the Commission  under the
         Exchange Act, as the case may be;

                        (viii) To the  best of  such  counsel's  knowledge,  the
         Company is not in violation of its corporate  charter or by-laws,  none
         of the  Subsidiaries  are in violation of their  corporate  charters or
         by-laws,  and neither the  Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries  are in
         default in the observance or

                                      -16-

<PAGE>



         performance  of any agreement,  indenture or instrument,  the effect of
         which  violation  or default  would be  material to the Company and its
         Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and

                          (ix) To the  best  of his  knowledge,  the  execution,
         delivery  and  performance  of this  Agreement  and  compliance  by the
         Company with the  provisions  of the  Underwritten  Securities  and the
         Indenture  will  not  conflict  with,  or  result  in the  creation  or
         imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the assets of
         the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  pursuant  to the terms of, or
         constitute a default in the observance or performance  of, any material
         agreement,  indenture  or  instrument,  or result in a violation of the
         corporate  charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
         or any order,  statute, rule or regulation of any court or governmental
         agency having jurisdiction over the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or
         their  respective  properties,  the  effect  of which  conflict,  lien,
         charge,  encumbrance,  default or  violation  would be  material to the
         Company  and  its  Subsidiaries  taken  as a  whole;  and  no  consent,
         authorization or order of, or filing or registration with, any court or
         governmental  agency  is  required  for  the  execution,  delivery  and
         performance  by the  Company of this  Agreement  except  such as may be
         required by the Act,  the Trust  Indenture  Act,  the  Exchange Act and
         state securities laws.

                  (c)  Winthrop,  Stimson,  Putnam  &  Roberts,  counsel  to the
Company,  shall have furnished to the Representatives their opinion addressed to
the Underwriters  and dated the Delivery Date, in form and substance  reasonably
satisfactory to the Representatives and their counsel, to the effect that:

                           (i) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
         and delivered by the Company;

                          (ii) The Indenture has been duly authorized,  executed
         and  delivered  by the  Company and  constitutes  the valid and binding
         agreement of the Company,  enforceable  in  accordance  with its terms,
         except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
         fraudulent  conveyance,   reorganization,   moratorium  or  other  laws
         relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally, by general equity
         principles or by an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing;

                         (iii) The   Underwritten   Securities  are  in  a  form
         contemplated by the Indenture and approved by the board of directors of
         the Company and have been duly  authorized by all  necessary  corporate
         action  and,  when  executed  and  authenticated  as  specified  in the
         Indenture and delivered  against  payment  therefor in accordance  with
         this Agreement,

                                      -17-

<PAGE>



         will be valid and binding  obligations  of the Company,  enforceable in
         accordance  with their  terms,  except as  enforcement  thereof  may be
         limited   by    bankruptcy,    insolvency,    fraudulent    conveyance,
         reorganization,  moratorium  or other  laws  relating  to or  affecting
         creditors'  rights  generally,  by general  equity  principles or by an
         implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing;

                          (iv) The  Underwritten  Securities  and the  Indenture
         conform in all material  respects to the statements  concerning them in
         the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

                           (v) The Indenture is qualified under, and complies as
         to form in all material respects with, the Trust Indenture Act;

                          (vi) The Registration Statement is effective under the
         Act; no stop order suspending its effectiveness  has been issued,  and,
         to the  knowledge of such counsel,  no  proceeding  for that purpose is
         pending or threatened by the  Commission;  and no order directed to any
         document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus has been issued by
         the Commission;

                         (vii) The  Registration  Statement,  as of the  time it
         became  effective,  and the  Prospectus,  as of its issue date  (except
         that,  in each case,  no opinion need be expressed as to the  financial
         statements  and schedules  and other  financial  and  statistical  data
         contained or incorporated by reference therein), complied as to form in
         all material  respects with the  requirements  of the Act and the Trust
         Indenture Act and the rules and  regulations  of the  Commission  under
         said  Acts,  and  the  documents   incorporated  by  reference  in  the
         Prospectus, when filed with the Commission (except that no opinion need
         be expressed as to the  financial  statements  and  schedules and other
         financial and  statistical  data contained or incorporated by reference
         therein),  complied  as to  form  in all  material  respects  with  the
         applicable   requirements  of  the  Exchange  Act  and  the  rules  and
         regulations of the Commission  thereunder;  and (except that no opinion
         need be expressed as to the  financial  statements  and  schedules  and
         other  financial and  statistical  data  contained or  incorporated  by
         reference therein) nothing has come to the attention of such counsel to
         lead them to believe that the Registration Statement, as of the time it
         became  effective,  contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
         omitted  to state a  material  fact  required  to be stated  therein or
         necessary to make the  statements  therein not  misleading  or that the
         Prospectus,  as of the Delivery Date, contained any untrue statement of
         a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary

                                      -18-

<PAGE>



         in  order  to  make  the  statements  therein,  in  the  light  of  the
         circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

                  (d) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident
to the authorization and validity of this Agreement, and the authorization, form
and validity of the  Underwritten  Securities,  the Indenture,  the Registration
Statement,  the  Prospectus  and  any  supplement,   amendment  or  incorporated
document,  other than  financial  statements and other  financial  data, and all
other legal matters and  transactions  contemplated  by this Agreement  shall be
reasonably  satisfactory in all material respects to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett,
counsel for the  Underwriters;  the Company shall have furnished to such counsel
all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to
pass upon such matters;  and Simpson  Thacher & Bartlett shall have furnished to
the  Representatives  on the Delivery  Date such  opinions  with respect to such
matters as the Representatives may reasonably request.

                  (e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries  shall
be in default (nor shall an event have occurred  which,  with notice or lapse of
time, or both, would constitute a default) under any provision of any instrument
relating  to  any  outstanding  indebtedness  of  the  Company  or  any  of  the
Subsidiaries (except where such default would not have a material adverse effect
on the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole)  and (ii) no  material
amount of the assets of the Company or of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken
as a whole shall have been  pledged or  mortgaged,  except as referred to in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, as amended or supplemented.

                  (f) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives on
the Delivery Date a certificate,  dated the Delivery Date, of its President, its
Chief Financial Officer or its Treasurer to the effect that:

                           (i) The representations, warranties and agreements of
         the Company in  Paragraph 1 hereof are true and correct in all material
         respects as of the  Delivery  Date;  the  Company  has  complied in all
         material  respects  with  all  its  agreements   contained  herein  and
         satisfied in all material  respects  all  conditions  on its part to be
         performed  and  satisfied  at or prior to the date of such  certificate
         (except that no certificate  need be given in respect of the conditions
         set forth in Paragraphs  9(d) and 9(g) hereof);  and the conditions set
         forth in Paragraph 9(a) hereof which are to be fulfilled at or prior to
         the  date of such  certificate  have  been  fulfilled  in all  material
         respects; and


                                      -19-

<PAGE>



                          (ii) He has reviewed the  Registration  Statement  and
         the Prospectus and, in his opinion, (A) the Registration  Statement, as
         of the time it became effective, did not contain an untrue statement of
         a material  fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
         therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (B)
         the Prospectus does not contain an untrue  statement of a material fact
         or omit to  state a  material  fact  necessary  in  order  to make  the
         statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
         were  made,  not  misleading,  and (C) since the time the  Registration
         Statement became effective there has not occurred any event required to
         be set forth in an amended  or  supplemented  prospectus  which has not
         been so set forth.

                  (g) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives on
the Delivery Date a letter in form and substance reasonably  satisfactory to the
Representatives  in all respects  from Price  Waterhouse  LLP,  addressed to the
Underwriters  and dated as of the Delivery  Date,  of the type  described in the
American  Institute  of  Certified  Public  Accountants'  Statement  on Auditing
Standards  No. 49 and covering  such  specified  financial  statement  items and
procedures as the Representatives may reasonably request.

                  (h)  No  order   suspending  the  sale  of  the   Underwritten
Securities in any jurisdiction  material to the distribution of the Underwritten
Securities as contemplated hereby and designated by the Representatives pursuant
to  Paragraph  6(j)  hereof  shall  have  been  issued or in  existence,  and no
proceeding  for that purpose shall have been  instituted or, to the knowledge of
the Underwriters or the Company, shall be contemplated.

                  (i) No Underwriter  shall have discovered and disclosed to the
Company on or prior to the Delivery Date that the  Registration  Statement,  the
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto,  taken as a whole, contain
an  untrue  statement  of a  fact  which,  in  the  opinion  of  counsel  to the
Representatives,  is material or omits to state a fact which,  in the opinion of
such counsel,  is material and is required to be stated  therein or is necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading.

                  (j) During the period from the date of the Terms  Agreement to
and including the Delivery Date,  there shall have occurred no material  adverse
change in the  financial  condition or results of  operations of the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

                  10.  If the  Company  shall  fail to tender  the  Underwritten
Securities for delivery to the  Underwriters for any reason permitted under this
Agreement, or if the Underwriters

                                      -20-

<PAGE>



shall decline to purchase the  Underwritten  Securities for any reason permitted
under this  Agreement,  the Company  shall  reimburse the  Underwriters  for the
reasonable  fees and  expenses of their  counsel  and for such other  reasonable
out-of-pocket  expenses as shall have been incurred by them in  connection  with
this Agreement and the proposed  purchase of Underwritten  Securities,  and upon
demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representatives.  If
this  Agreement  is  terminated  pursuant to Paragraph 4 hereof by reason of the
default of one or more  Underwriters,  the  Company  shall not be  obligated  to
reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of those expenses.

                  11. The  Company  shall be  entitled  to act and rely upon any
request,  consent,  notice or  agreement on behalf of the  Representatives.  Any
notice  by the  Company  to the  Underwriters  shall be  sufficient  if given in
writing or by  telegraph  addressed to the  Representatives  at such address and
time  as  may be  specified  in the  Terms  Agreement,  and  any  notice  by the
Underwriters  to the  Company  shall be  sufficient  if given in  writing  or by
telegraph  addressed  to  the  Company  at  9200  Oakdale  Avenue,   Chatsworth,
California 91311, Attention of Mr. Bruce F.
Antenberg.

                  12. This Agreement shall be binding upon each Underwriter, the
Company,  and their  respective  successors.  This  Agreement  and the terms and
provisions  hereof are for the sole benefit of only those  persons,  except that
(a) the indemnity agreement of the Company contained in Paragraph 7 hereof shall
also be  deemed  to be for the  benefit  of any  Participant  and the  person or
persons,  if any, who control any Underwriter or Participant  within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Act, and (b) the  indemnity  agreement of the  Underwriters
contained  in  Paragraph  7 hereof  shall be  deemed  to be for the  benefit  of
directors  of  the  Company,  officers  of  the  Company  who  have  signed  the
Registration  Statement  and any  person who  controls  the  Company  within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall
be  construed  to give any person,  other than the  persons  referred to in this
Paragraph,  any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of
this Agreement or any provision contained herein.

                  13. For purposes of this  Agreement,  "business day" means any
day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.

                  14. All  representations,  warranties  and  agreements  of the
Company  contained in this  Agreement,  or contained in certificates of officers
submitted pursuant hereto,  shall remain operative and in full force and effect,
regardless of the termination of this Agreement or any investigation  made by or
on behalf of the Underwriters or any person controlling the

                                      -21-

<PAGE>


Underwriters or by or on behalf of the Company,  and shall survive each delivery
of and payment for any of the Underwritten Securities.

                  15.  This  Agreement  shall be governed  by and  construed  in
accordance  with the laws of the State of New York.  The Terms  Agreement may be
executed  in one or  more  counterparts,  and  if  executed  in  more  than  one
counterpart  the  executed  counterparts  shall  together  constitute  a  single
instrument.


                                      -22-

<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit 4(a)
                         ACTION OF THE PRICING COMMITTEE
                          OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
                                  ARISTAR, INC.

                  The  undersigned,  being  all of the  members  of the  Pricing
Committee of the Board of Directors of Aristar,  Inc.  (the  "Corporation"),  do
hereby adopt the following resolutions and authorize the taking of the following
actions:

                  RESOLVED,  that  pursuant  to  resolutions  of  the  Board  of
Directors  adopted by unanimous  consent as of March 30, 1995,  the  Corporation
issue a series of unsecured and unsubordinated  securities under and pursuant to
the Indenture  dated as of July 1, 1995 between the  Corporation and The Bank of
New  York,  as  trustee,   including  the  Standard  Multiple-Series   Indenture
Provisions  dated  as of July 1,  1995  attached  thereto  and  incorporated  by
reference therein (collectively, the "Senior Indenture");

                  RESOLVED,  that the title of the series shall be "7.25% Senior
Notes due June 15, 2001" (the "Notes");

                  RESOLVED,  that the  aggregate  principal  amount of the Notes
shall be $100,000,000 and the Notes shall,  except as otherwise  provided in the
Senior Indenture,  mature on June 15, 2001, bear interest at a rate of 7.25% per
annum from June 17,  1996,  payable  semi-annually  on June 15 and  December 15,
commencing  December 15, 1996,  and the regular  record dates for the payment of
interest on any interest  payment date shall be (in each case,  whether or not a
business day) the May 31 or November 30, as the case may be, next preceding such
interest  payment  date;  and the Notes  shall be  payable as to  principal  and
interest at the office or agency of the  Corporation  in New York City,  in such
coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall
be legal tender for public and private  debts,  be issuable as fully  registered
senior notes without coupons in  denominations of $100,000 and any larger amount
that is an integral  multiple of $1,000,  and shall not be  redeemable  prior to
maturity, all upon conditions set forth and as more fully provided in the Senior
Indenture;

                  RESOLVED,  that the indebtedness  represented by the Notes may
be satisfied and discharged by the  Corporation at any time upon compliance with
the provisions of Section 403 of the Senior Indenture;

                  RESOLVED,  that The Bank of New York  be,  and it  hereby  is,
appointed Paying Agent with respect to the Notes;

                  RESOLVED,  that The Bank of New York is hereby appointed agent
of the Corporation  for the  registration of transfer and exchange of the Notes;
and that the corporate trust offices of


<PAGE>



The Bank of New York in the City and State of New York are hereby  designated as
the offices or agencies of the Corporation  where the Notes may be presented for
payment or for  transfer or exchange as in said Senior  Indenture  provided  and
where notices and demands to or upon the  Corporation in respect of the Notes or
said Senior Indenture may be served;

                  RESOLVED, that the Notes shall initially be issued in the form
of one or  more  global  securities  and  deposited  with  or on  behalf  of The
Depository  Trust  Company;  interests in Notes issued in global form may not be
exchanged,  in whole  or in  part,  for the  individual  securities  represented
thereby,  except  as  provided  in the  Senior  Indenture  and  except  that the
Corporation may at any time and in its sole discretion determine not to have any
of the Notes  represented by one or more global  securities  and, in such event,
will issue individual certificated notes in exchange for such global securities;

                  RESOLVED,  that the form,  terms and  provisions  of the Terms
Agreement  (dated June 12, 1996) and  Underwriting  Agreement  Basic  Provisions
(dated  April  10,  1995)  incorporated   therein   (collectively,   the  "Terms
Agreement")  submitted  herewith be, and the same hereby is,  approved;  and the
President or any Vice President of the  Corporation  be, and each of them hereby
is,  authorized  to  execute  and  deliver  in the  name  and on  behalf  of the
Corporation,  such Terms  Agreement  with the  blanks  therein  filled  with the
applicable  information  as approved by the Board of  Directors  or this Pricing
Committee either with or without meeting, and with such other changes therein as
shall be  approved  by said  officers of the  Corporation,  such  approval to be
conclusively  evidenced  by  the  execution  and  delivery  of  any  such  Terms
Agreement;

                  RESOLVED,  that  it is  desirable  and  appropriate  that  the
Corporation  enter into the Terms  Agreement with Lehman  Brothers  Inc.,  Chase
Securities Inc., and Merrill Lynch,  Pierce,  Fenner & Smith  Incorporated  (the
"Underwriters");

                  RESOLVED,  that the price at which the Notes  shall be sold by
the Corporation to the Underwriters  shall be 99.242% of par, or an aggregate of
$99,242,000,  plus interest,  if any, accrued from June 17, 1996 to the Delivery
Date (as defined in the Terms  Agreement),  the initial public offering price at
which the Notes shall be offered for sale by the  Underwriters  shall be 99.842%
of par, or an aggregate of $99,842,000, plus interest, if any, accrued from June
17, 1996, and the underwriting discount applicable to the Notes shall be .60% of
par as set forth in the Terms Agreement;

                  RESOLVED, that the Notes shall initially be issued in the form
attached  hereto as Exhibit A and shall contain such other terms as set forth in
such form; and


                                       -2-

<PAGE>



                  RESOLVED, that the officers of the Corporation and its counsel
be, and they  hereby  are,  authorized  to take all such  further  action and to
execute and deliver all such further instruments and documents,  in the name and
on behalf of the Corporation,  and under its corporate seal or otherwise, and to
pay all such expenses and taxes, as in their judgment shall be necessary, proper
or advisable in order fully to carry out the intent and  accomplish  the purpose
of the foregoing resolutions and each of them.



                                       -3-

<PAGE>



Dated:  As of June 12, 1996



                                       Michael M. Pappas
                                       Director and Member of Pricing
                                       Committee



                                       James A. Bare
                                       Director and Member of Pricing
                                       Committee


                                       -4-

<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit 4(b)

                  UNLESS THIS  SECURITY  (AS DEFINED  HEREIN) IS PRESENTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED   REPRESENTATIVE  OF  THE  DEPOSITORY  TRUST  COMPANY,   A  NEW  YORK
CORPORATION (THE "DEPOSITARY"),  TO THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED HEREIN) OR ITS AGENT
FOR  REGISTRATION  OF TRANSFER,  EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT,  AND ANY CERTIFICATE TO BE
ISSUED  IS  REGISTERED  IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO.  OR IN SUCH  OTHER  NAME AS IS
REQUESTED  BY AN  AUTHORIZED  REPRESENTATIVE  OF THE  DEPOSITARY  AND ANY AMOUNT
PAYABLE  THEREUNDER  IS MADE  PAYABLE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER  NAME,  ANY
TRANSFER,  PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON
IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST
HEREIN.


                  UNLESS AND UNTIL THIS  SECURITY  IS  EXCHANGED  IN WHOLE OR IN
PART  FOR  CERTIFICATED  SECURITIES  REGISTERED  IN THE  NAMES  OF  THE  VARIOUS
BENEFICIAL  HOLDERS HEREOF AS THEN CERTIFIED TO THE COMPANY BY THE DEPOSITARY OR
A SUCCESSOR  DEPOSITARY,  THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE
BY  THE  DEPOSITARY  TO A  NOMINEE  OF THE  DEPOSITARY  OR BY A  NOMINEE  OF THE
DEPOSITARY  TO THE  DEPOSITARY  OR ANOTHER  NOMINEE OF THE  DEPOSITARY OR BY THE
DEPOSITARY  OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR  DEPOSITARY  OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH
SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.



                                  ARISTAR, INC.

                       7.25% SENIOR NOTE DUE JUNE 15, 2001


No. 1                                                               $100,000,000
                                                               CUSIP 040420 AW 1

                  ARISTAR,  INC.,  a  Delaware  corporation  (herein  called the
"Company",  which term shall refer to such Company until a successor corporation
shall have become such pursuant to the  provisions of the Indenture  referred to
herein and  thereafter  "Company"  shall mean such successor  corporation),  for
value received,  hereby  promises to pay to Cede & Co. , or registered  assigns,
the principal sum of ------One  Hundred  Million----  Dollars  ($100,000,000) on
June 15, 2001,  and to pay interest  thereon from June 17, 1996 or from the most
recent  Interest  Payment Date to which  interest has been paid or duly provided
for,  semi-annually on June 15 and December 15 in each year, commencing December
15, 1996, at the rate of 7.25% per annum,  until the principal hereof is paid or
made available for payment.

                  The interest so payable,  and punctually paid or duly provided
for, on any Interest  Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture,  be paid
to  the  Person  in  whose  name  this  Security  (or  one or  more  Predecessor
Securities) is registered at the


<PAGE>



close of business on the Regular Record Date for such  interest,  which shall be
(in each case  whether or not a Business  Day) the May 31 or November 30, as the
case may be, next  preceding  such  Interest  Payment  Date.  Any  interest  not
punctually  paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the
Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose
name this Security (or one or more Predecessor  Securities) is registered at the
close of  business on a Special  Record  Date for the payment of such  Defaulted
Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of
Securities  of this  series not less than 10 days prior to such  Special  Record
Date,  or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not  inconsistent  with
the  requirements  of any  securities  exchange on which the  Securities of this
series may be listed,  and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange,
all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

                  Payment of the  principal  of (and  premium,  if any,  on) and
interest  on this  Security  will be made at the office or agency of the Company
maintained  for that  purpose in the  Borough of  Manhattan,  in The City of New
York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of
payment is legal  tender for  payment of public  and  private  debts;  provided,
however,  that at the option of the Company,  payment of interest may be made by
check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall
appear in the Security Register.

                  This security is one of a duly authorized  issue of securities
of the Company (herein called the "Securities"),  issued and to be issued in one
or more series under an Indenture,  dated as of July 1, 1995 (herein  called the
"Indenture"),  between the Company and The Bank of New York, as Trustee  (herein
called the  "Trustee,"  which term  includes any  successor  trustee or trustees
under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto
reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective  rights,  limitations
of rights,  duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the
Holders of the Securities  and of the terms upon which the  Securities  are, and
are to be,  authenticated  and  delivered.  This  Security  is one of the series
designated  on the  face  hereof,  limited  in  aggregate  principal  amount  to
$100,000,000.

                  The Securities are not redeemable at the option of the Company
prior to Stated Maturity.

                  If an Event of  Default  with  respect to  Securities  of this
series shall occur and be  continuing,  the principal of the  Securities of this
series  may be  declared  due and  payable  in the  manner  and with the  effect
provided in the Indenture.

                  The  Indenture  permits,  with certain  exceptions  as therein
provided,  the  amendment  thereof  and  the  modification  of  the  rights  and
obligations  of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the  Securities  of
each series to be affected under the

                                       -2-

<PAGE>



Indenture  at any time by the Company  and the  Trustee  with the consent of the
Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the
time  Outstanding  of all  series to be  affected  (acting  as one  class).  The
Indenture  also  provides  that,  regarding the  Securities  of any series,  the
Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the
time  Outstanding  of such  series may waive  certain  past  defaults  and their
consequences on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series. Any such
consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding
upon  such  Holder  and upon all  future  Holders  of this  Security  and of any
Security issued upon the  registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor
or in lieu  hereof,  whether or not  notation of such  consent or waiver is made
upon this Security.

                  As provided in the Indenture,  the Company shall be discharged
from its obligations  with respect to the Securities of any series when (1) with
respect to all Outstanding  Securities of such series, the Company has deposited
or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as a trust fund specifically  pledged
as  security  for,  and  dedicated  solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the
Securities  of such  series  (i)  money  in an  amount  as  will,  or (ii)  U.S.
Government  Obligations  as will,  together with the  predetermined  and certain
income to accrue thereon without  consideration of any reinvestment  thereof, or
(iii) a combination  of (i) and (ii) as will (in a written  opinion with respect
to (ii) or (iii) of independent public accountants delivered to the Trustee), be
sufficient  to pay and  discharge  the entire  indebtedness  on all  Outstanding
Securities of such series for principal (and premium,  if any) and interest,  if
any, to the Stated Maturity or any Redemption  Date, as the case may be; and (2)
the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable with respect to
the Outstanding  Securities of such series; and (3) the Company has delivered to
the Trustee an Officers'  Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that all
such  conditions  precedent  have been complied  with; and (4) the Company shall
have  delivered  to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that Holders
of the  Securities  of such series will not recognize  income,  gain or loss for
Federal  income tax purposes as a result  thereof and will be subject to Federal
income tax as if such option had not been exercised.

                  No reference herein to the Indenture and no provisions of this
Security  or of the  Indenture  shall  alter or  impair  the  obligation  of the
Company,  which is absolute  and  unconditional,  to pay the  principal  of (and
premium, if any) and interest,  if any, on this Security at the times, place and
rate,  and in the  coin  or  currency,  herein  and in the  Indenture  provided;
subject,  however,  to the  provisions for the discharge of the Company from its
obligations  under the Securities upon  satisfaction of the conditions set forth
in the preceding paragraph or in the Indenture.


                                       -3-

<PAGE>



                  As provided in the Indenture, upon any consolidation or merger
or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company
substantially as an entirety in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture,
the  successor  corporation  formed  by such  consolidation  or into  which  the
predecessor corporation is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease
is made  shall be  substituted  for the  predecessor  corporation  with the same
effect  as if  such  successor  corporation  had  been  named  as  the  Company.
Thereafter the predecessor  corporation shall be relieved of the performance and
observance of all obligations and covenants of the Indenture and the Securities,
including but not limited to the  obligation to make payment of the principal of
(and  premium,  if any, on) and  interest,  if any, on all the  Securities  then
Outstanding, and, in the event of any such conveyance, transfer or lease, may be
liquidated and dissolved.

                  As   provided  in  the   Indenture   and  subject  to  certain
limitations  therein set forth,  the transfer of this Security is registrable in
the Security  Register,  upon  surrender of this  Security for  registration  of
transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal
of (and  premium,  if any) and  interest  on this  Security  are  payable,  duly
endorsed  by,  or  accompanied  by a  written  instrument  of  transfer  in form
satisfactory  to the Company and the Security  Registrar  duly  executed by, the
Holder hereof or his attorney duly  authorized in writing,  and thereupon one or
more new Securities of this series,  of authorized  denominations and for a like
aggregate  principal  amount  and  tenor,  will  be  issued  to  the  designated
transferee or transferees.

                  The  Securities of this series are issuable only in registered
form without coupons in  denominations of $100,000 and any larger amount that is
an integral  multiple of $1,000.  As  provided in the  Indenture  and subject to
certain   limitations   therein  set  forth,   Securities  of  this  series  are
exchangeable  for a like aggregate  principal  amount and tenor of Securities of
this  series of a  different  authorized  denomination,  upon  surrender  of the
Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency.

                  No service charge shall be made for any such  registration  of
transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

                  Prior to due presentment of this Security for  registration of
transfer,  the Company,  the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee
may treat the  Person in whose name this  Security  is  registered  as the owner
hereof for all purposes,  whether or not this  Security be overdue,  and neither
the  Company,  the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.


                                       -4-

<PAGE>



                  As provided in the Indenture, no recourse shall be had for the
payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) or the interest, if any, on
this Security, or any part hereof, or for any claim based hereon or otherwise in
respect  hereof,  or  of  the  indebtedness  represented  hereby,  or  upon  any
obligation,  covenant or agreement of the Company in the Indenture,  against any
incorporator,  direct or indirect  stockholder,  officer or  director,  as such,
past, present or future, of the Company or of any successor  corporation (either
directly or through the Company or any such successor  corporation),  whether by
virtue  of any  constitutional  provision,  statute  or rule  of law,  or by the
enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all liability, if any, of
that  character  against  every  such  incorporator,  stockholder,  officer  and
director  being by the acceptance  hereof,  and as a condition of and as part of
the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.

                  The  Indenture  and the  Securities  shall be  governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

                  All  terms  used in this  Security  which are  defined  in the
Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.



                                       -5-

<PAGE>



                  Unless  the  certificate  of  authentication  hereon  has been
executed by the Trustee by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled
to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the Company has caused this instrument to
be duly executed under its corporate seal.


                                       ARISTAR, INC.




                                       By:  ------------------------------
                                                    Vice President


[SEAL]

Attest:



- ----------------------------------
           Secretary

                                       -6-

<PAGE>



                     TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

                  This is one of the  Securities  of the series  designated  and
issued under the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated:  June __, 1996



                                       THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Trustee



                                       By: -------------------------------
                                                 Authorized Signatory



                                       -7-

<PAGE>




                                 ---------------


                                  ABBREVIATIONS


                  The following  abbreviations,  when used in the inscription on
this  Security,  shall be  construed  as though  they were  written  out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations.

TEN COM  --  as tenants in common                     UNIF GIFT MIN ACT --
TEN ENT  --  as tenants by the
                     entireties with                  ____________ Custodian
                     with right of                       (Cust)
                     survivorship and not
                     as tenants in common             ____________
JT TEN   --  as joint tenants                           (Minor)
                     with right of                    Under Uniform Gifts
                     survivorship and not             to Minors Act
                     as tenants in common

                                                      ------------
                                                        (State)

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

                                 --------------


                                       -8-

<PAGE>



                  FOR VALUE RECEIVED,  the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and
transfers to

INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR
OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF
ASSIGNEE
 ----------
[----------]------------------------------------------------------------

                  PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS OF ASSIGNEE

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Security of Aristar, Inc. and irrevocably constitutes and
appoints

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

to transfer said Security on the books of the within-named Company, with
full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:______________                        ____________________________________

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            The  signature  to  this  assignment
                                            must  correspond  with  the  name as
                                            written   upon   the   face  of  the
                                            Security in every particular without
                                            alteration  or  enlargement,  or any
                                            change whatsoever.

                                            Signatures  must be guaranteed by an
                                            "eligible   guarantor   institution"
                                            meeting  the   requirements  of  the
                                            Security      Registrar,       which
                                            requirements  include  membership or
                                            participation    in   the   Security
                                            Transfer  Agent  Medallion   Program
                                            ("STAMP")  or such other  "signature
                                            guarantee   program"   as   may   be
                                            determined by the Security Registrar
                                            in addition  to, or in  substitution
                                            for,  STAMP,  all in accordance with
                                            the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
                                            as amended.

                                       -9-

<PAGE>


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